Local News

A vehicle pursuit led to the citation of a passenger, with Grants Pass Police still searching for the driver as of this morning.

A traffic stop was initiated on a vehicle for failing to signal 100ft and for having expired tags. The vehicle failed to yield after entering the Walgreens parking lot however, and circled back to Williams Highway. A pursuit was initiated as the suspect vehicle as it continued on SE 7th Street.

The pursuit ended when the vehicle crashed over the median and onto the Novus Glass property. Three occupants fled the crash on foot, with two of them being stopped and identified. Both were transported by American Medical Response to Three Rivers Medical Center.

One of the suspects, Aaron Lacombe, was found to have a serviceable warrant out for his arrest from the Grants Pass Police Department for Misdemeanor Driving While Suspended. He was arrested then issued a criminal citation.

Drug related items were found in plain view inside the vehicle, which was impounded for no insurance. Further confirmation is needed to determine the driver in the incident.

 

Grants Pass Police responded to a report of three people doing drugs in a Papa Murphy's parking lot Tuesday morning.

A call to 911 reported the three suspects in a beige Ford SUV around 8:50 a.m. The caller said they were getting high in the vehicle parked at 263 Rogue River Highway. The driver nodded off before waking up and driving over a bag with their personal belongings inside.

The caller, an employee of the restaurant, requested the individuals be trespassed and officers respond to the scene. Upon arrival, police contacted the three and trespassed them from the Papa Murphy's and the Lucky Lizard.

The front passenger, Trevor Bowen, was found to have a bag of drugs under his seat that tested positive for meth. He was arrested for Possession of Meth and a detainer.

The driver, Brittany Brown, was still in the driver's seat upon contact. She had a glass smoking device with a white residue, a tooter, and burnt foil observed around her. She showed numerous signs of impairment, and following field sobriety testing, was arrested for DUII.

A Drug Recognition Expert evaluation was performed after her Blood Alcohol Content was inconsistent with impairment. Jail logs don't show if she was lodged. The third suspect was not identified. Two dogs in the vehicle were released to Brown's father.

 

The Josephine County Sheriff's Office conducted a welfare check on a woman asking for a ride on Quartz Creek Road, and later arrested her for a warrant.

A man coming back from hunting encountered the suspect near the intersection of Quartz Creek and Hugo Roads. He told dispatch she looked very dirty, appeared to only be wearing a red t-shirt, and was begging for a ride, saying she didn't want to stay out in the area any longer.

The caller said he didn't feel comfortable giving the suspect a ride, and told dispatch the encounter occurred 15 minutes prior to the call. Deputies located the woman, identified her as Natasha Taylor, and found she was wanted out of the Sheriff's Office for Third Degree Theft, and three counts of Second Degree Criminal Trespass.

Taylor was arrested and lodged in the Josephine County Adult Jail Facility for her warrant.

 

Grants Pass Police apprehended the respondent of a valid restraining order after he entered the home of the petitioner.

Dispatch was notified that Les Miller went into the incident location in the 2,200 block of SW Esther Lane, where the woman who filed the restraining order against Miller lived. She told dispatch that Miller, after yelling, screaming and making threats, left the scene in a silver Dodge minivan.

She had told Miller he was not supposed to be at the residence, and the restraining order was confirmed. He was contacted via phone and said he wanted to turn himself in. After meeting with law enforcement at the Police Department, Miller was arrested for the Restraining Order Violation. He was subsequently lodged in jail.

 

A traffic stop Tuesday resulted in a man being cited and a woman wanted on two warrants out of the Grants Pass Police Department being arrested.

Officers stopped a blue Chevy for an expired registration around 4:38 p.m. Upon contacting the driver, Patrick Apello, he was confirmed to be suspended. Loose Schedule II pills were located upon an inventory check.

He was issued a citation to appear in court, but left the scene. Officers soon located him at W Park Street between Short Street and Plummer Avenue. He advised law enforcement that his girlfriend, Melonie Clark, had numerous warrants out for her arrest.

According to the police report, a deal was made to arrange a meeting with her so she could be apprehended. She was wanted out of the Police Department for Possession of Heroin and Aggravated Theft in the First Degree.

Clark was arrested at 5:59 p.m., and transported to the Josephine County Jail where she was lodged on her warrants. The Chevy from the initial traffic stop was towed.

 

Grants Pass Police arrested a man that failed to report as a sex offender following a complaint Tuesday morning.

A call to 911 reported the suspect, Scott Jueden, was believed to be a Level 3 Sex Offender who was out of compliance. He was described as having white facial hair, and wearing a baseball hat and backpack.

The caller reported Jueden was seen leaving the apartment complex in the 200 block of SW Rogue River Avenue with another resident 20 minutes prior to the call at 11:38 a.m. He was seen walking towards Taprock, and following the 911 call, officers contacted Jueden's parole officer.

The officer called Jueden, telling him to meet, which he did around 2 p.m. The officer told police if Jueden admitted to being at the apartment where kids were present, he would be detained.

Officers eventually arrested Jueden for Misdemeanor Failure to Report as a Sex Offender, and a detainer. He was lodged in the Adult Jail Facility.

 

The Board of Commissioners heard comments from the public and discussed Full Time Equivalent reductions for the Josephine County Sheriff's Office at their Weekly Business Session.

The public presented topics to the board including education, comments on the jail levy, concern over information posted on the Oregon Health Authority website regarding fungus, help for seniors in mobile home parks, rent increases, and infrastructure transparency.

A motion to approve the consent calendar passed 3-0, and Commissioner Gary Richardson discussed the Full Time Equivalent reduction for the Sheriff's Office Budgets. Two patrol and corrections deputies, as well as two major crimes detective positions will be affected.

He continued, saying that due to the collective bargaining agreements as discussed in a previous Supplemental Budget Meeting, the current budget can't support said positions.

 

A power line incident was reported early this morning in the 5700 block of Deer Creek Road in Selma.

Illinois Valley Fire District personnel responded at 12:06 a.m. to a report of a tree downed across power lines. Upon arrival, Pacific Power representatives assessed the situation and confirmed the lines were cable.

The appropriate service provider was dispatched to remove the obstruction and facilitate necessary repairs. The roadway remained closed for the duration of the night and was later reopened.

 

A drug dealer is in jail after multiple attempted eludes throughout Jackson County. The suspect, Ismael Garcia-Nava Jr., 32, of Medford, remains lodged in the Jackson County Jail after crashing September 19th while attempting to elude Central Point Police Department officers. Garcia-Nava was originally arrested August 12th after crashing during an attempted elude with the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office. Due to jail overcrowding he was force released August 22nd before a search uncovered the drugs and firearm in his vehicle. Multiple search warrants revealed more than 100g of fentanyl, nearly 400g of heroin, 28g of methamphetamines, scales, packaging material, and a loaded firearm. Garcia-Nava was lodged in the second elude case September 19th. He was charged with Unlawful Possession, Manufacture, and Delivery of Controlled Substances, Felon in Possession of a Firearm, multiple counts of Elude, and Reckless Driving.